Fooled
by Senko Wakimarin
Summary: Shikamaru has them all fooled. Yaoi ShikaChou, now with 100 percent more KibaNaru
1. Prologue: Fooled

Prologue: Fooled

Ino thought he was too bored.

Asuma thought he was too young.

Sakura though he was too lazy.

Kiba thought he was too smart.

Neji thought he was too foolish.

Naruto thought he was straight.

It was easy to keep them fooled, because his secret didn't change how he acted. He was bored, he was young, he was definitely lazy. Intelligence, he knew, was simply a matter of opinion.

As for sexuality….

Women, he had decided (after dealing with Ino's annoying voice for so long, and watching Temari) were too troublesome to bother with. If that made him gay, then so be it. Besides, he thought, relationships were like chess: it took so many small moves for the real motion to become clear.

Far, far too troublesome, though, because unlike chess, relationships lasted years and often turned around to bite you in the ass. Chess wasn't noisy and didn't ask for favors or try to get you to do things you didn't want to. Chess didn't climb into bed with you and let you wake up freezing because Chess liked to hog the covers, and Chess certainly didn't snore.

No, Shikamaru felt he was just fine on his own. If worst came to worst, there was no shame in simple masturbation. Okay, well, he wouldn't exactly want to be caught in the act, but it was far less irritating than involving a second party.

Sometimes though, a second party got involved without invitation.


	2. Ch 1 Converse

((A/N: Yes, the word 'troublesome is used a lot in this chapter. I know. I did it on purpose. Oh yeah: this is fanfiction, biotches. The characters are bound to be alittle out of character. So please don't bug me about it, I care so little you wouldn't believe it. ))

Chapter One: Converse

Shikamaru, in an effort to make up for having left Chouji behind (not to mention the fact the Chouji had almost _died_) had spent quite a bit of extra time with his friend. Most of it up on the roof-top, staring at the clouds just like they used to. For the most part, these moments (which sometimes lasted for hours, depending on their schedule) were silent, with the exception of the quiet munching that followed Chouji everywhere.

"Eh, Shikamaru?"

The first change in their routine since Chouji had been discharged from the hospital.

"Uh?"

"D'you like Ino?"

Shikamaru grunted, closing one eye in discomfort. "Meh… she's a good fighter. I guess so."

"No… I mean… If she asked would you go out with her?"

"No." There was little thought to it. He didn't see any reason to lie.

"What about that Temari girl?" Chouji asked, sitting up and looking at his friend. Shikamaru made a face and tried not to think about that too hard.

"No."

"Sakura, then."

"Chouji!" Shikamaru groaned pressing his fingertips to his forehead. "Knock it off."

The Akimichi boy grumbled for a moment, then popped another chip in his mouth, chewing contentedly. Just as Shikamaru started to relax again, Chouji guessed again. "What about Tenten?"

"None of them, Chouji!" Shikamaru snapped, closing his eyes. "I don't want any of them, alright?"

"Oh. That's good."

Good? That was good? What in the name of…

Where had this stream of conversation come from anyway? Shikamaru supposed it was normal for teenagers to think about love and sex and the relationships of others, but normal teenagers they were not. None of the young shinobi were, and Shikamaru had thought that the only two stupid enough to openly pretend they had time for dating and gossip were Sakura and Ino.

And why would Chouji care who he was interested in anyway? They had never even mentioned it before, it was such a stupid thing.

"Oi, Chouji?"

"Mm?"

"What about you?"

Such a stupid thing, and yet Shikamaru wanted to know as well now. Some ungodly need to know that his friend was still just_ his_ friend.

Chouji shook his head. "Girl's don't pay much attention to me. I don't know any of them except Ino." A brief pause while the larger boy chewed thoughtfully on a chip. "And she's too shallow to go for someone like me."

That didn't seem very fair. Sure, Chouji wasn't really… well, attractive in a general since of the word, but he was brave and kind and a real friend. Shikamaru made a vague attempt at articulating this, failing miserably, and the Akimichi boy laughed.

"And overweight." He added, and Shikamaru could see his smile was forced. "None of the girls are gonna want a guy like me. You're the only one who's ever really wanted to be my friend."

Shikamaru grunted. It was the truth, but he still didn't like it pushed out in the open.

"One good friend is better than a hundred fakes." He said, thinking of something he'd heard his mother chide.

When Chouji only grunted, Shikamaru turned his face back up to the sky. It was true that they didn't really have time for dating, but they were still people with feelings- no matter how troublesome those feelings tended to be. He had a lot of feelings for his friend, but until now he'd never really thought about where they might lead.

He liked Chouji. Chouji was the one friend he knew he could rely on and always come to with a problem. Even if the larger boy couldn't solve the problem, he was always ready to do his best. When he'd seen his friend in the hospital, he'd felt sick and hurt and lower than ever in his life because… because there was the most important person in his life, hurt so badly from trying to save his friends. He'd risked his life to help him, and Shikamaru understood that, even though it made him feel odd. It made him feel he owed Chouji more than he knew how to give.

He shut his eyes against the sky. How troublesome, these circling feelings. Yes, he liked Chouji. He liked him quite a bit, maybe more so than he should. And for the longest time, he had been sure his friend was as straight as they came. But here they were, going on seventeen, and the Akimichi boy had yet to show much interest in anything other than food, training (and only mild interest in that, at times), and Shikamaru.

Shikamaru had known for a while that his feelings for Chouji had extended beyond the normal bounds of simple friendship. It wasn't all that hard to tell, when he thought of the other boy all the time.

"-boys, then?" Chouji's voice finally pulled him away from his thought.

Looking up, Shikamaru saw a his friend staring at him with a light blush playing over his face.

"uhm.. What?"

Chouji made a little sound, something half between embarrassment and irritation. "I said, what about boys, then?"

Blinking, Shikamaru tried to keep the blush from his face. Sometimes it seemed Chouji knew what he was thinking, and it was never a good thing. Always something Shikamaru would rather he not know.

"Relationships are troublesome." He said finally, not looking at his friend.

Hopefully that would be the end of that.

"Well, what about just for thinking…?"

Or Chouji could keep it going.

Shikamaru was not a good liar. He could conceal the truth, and he could play word games all day long, but when someone asked a direct question, he had trouble.

"Whatever." He grumbled, shutting his eyes again. He heard and felt Chouji shifting restlessly beside him, and forced himself to remain blinded.

"I think I'm gay."

The tone was casual, but the softness suggested that Chouji was just as nervous as anyone would have been. Shikamaru opened his eyes and glanced at his friend, who looked like he expected something to explode in his face.

"Uh…" he didn't know what to say. "Who?"

Chouji's face reddened and he looked away from his friend. "I told you, you were my only real friend…" he mumbled, chips laying forgotten now.


	3. Ch 2 Kiss

Chapter Two: Kiss

((A/N: Sorry, but this chapter is gonna be really short. I mean, shorter than the last one. But I really wanted it to end where it does, and I didn't know how to stretch it out…))

Shikamaru only stared at his friend for several long moments, making the situation all the more uncomfortable. Both their faces were stained red now, and Chouji had developed a slight shiver. He looked like someone waiting to be hurt.

He didn't know what to say, or what to do. He knew the appropriate thing would be to admit his own feelings. He knew he should at least tell Chouji that it was okay. He knew he should do these things, but they were just so damn…

The Nara boy had never been very good at talking about his feelings. He generally preferred not to speak at all, unless it was necessary. He made an exception for Chouji because… well, Chouji was his friend.

He had no idea how to articulate what it was that he felt. He could be as blunt as anyone when it came to stating the facts in a fight or giving orders, but this was different. Beside him he could feel Chouji trembling with nerves, and he wondered if he would leave before Shikamaru managed to say anything.

"Just never mind," Chouji said quietly, his attempt at sounding calm only thinly disguising his hurt. "It doesn't change anything, anyway."

But that was a lie, this changed everything. And Shikamaru knew both of them knew it.

His hand shook slightly, but he hardly noticed as he took hold of Chouji's wrist, pulling their bodies close together. Lightly, he pressed his lips to the whirl mark on his friend's cheek, feeling the flesh warm instantly in a blush as he did.

He pulled away a little, and for a second their eyes met. A flicker of understanding passed between them, and then they pressed blindly together. Softly, like to butterflies in flight, their lips brushed, bringing a blush to both their faces.

"Chouji…" Shikamaru still wasn't sure how to say what he felt he should; he was only sure he should say something

He could feel his friend smile slightly against his lips, and felt Chouji's fingers slip into his hair. Their lips met again, more readily, and when they broke apart again it was with deep hesitation on both parts.

"It's okay, Shikamaru." Chouji breathed, knowing what his friend had meant and why he was struggling. "I get it."


	4. Ch 3 Caught

Chapter 3: Caught

(A/N: I was going to end it with the second chapter, if only because the school demon is trying to consume my soul, but the tale just wouldn't leave me alone. So, mostly due to the insistent reviews and pleas that I continue, I shall. Oh yeah, and I think I might actually have a plot developed, too!)

Without thought, Shikamaru leaned forward and pressed another, gentle kiss to Chouji's lips. It was good that he didn't have to try and articulate this. Words were so troublesome- if you were too vague, it seemed like you were being dishonest, but if you were too concise, you just seemed cold.

Chouji returned the kiss, and smiled when they broke apart, still sitting much closer than was normal. "I'm glad I finally said something." He said softly, staring down at his hands. "I was afraid you'd get mad or something."

The blush on his cheeks was rather cute, or so Shikamaru thought, and he chuckled softly. He raised his hand to run it over his hair, and thought of how nervous he would have been in Chouji's position.

"You're braver than me." He said with finality. "I probably never would have said anything."

Shyly, the larger boy placed his hand over Shikamaru's, and for a while they just sat like that, looking up into the sky that no longer seemed quite as interesting as it had before. Like normal teenagers, neither were exactly sure what to do now that everything was out in the open, and they kept sneaking furtive glances at one another, though there was nothing new to see.

Then their eyes met, and all at once they were kissing again; for real this time, not the childish press of lips that made their first kiss, or even the self-conscious, gentle exchange of the last. They were the sort of kisses one dreams of, all soft yielding lips with firm teeth just beneath, and they soon blossomed into something even deeper.

With his heart racing in his chest, his skin burning for more contact, Shikamaru reflected that, even though they were shinobi, it made them no less human; the purity of his reactions was proof enough. Being a shinobi did not remove the need for contact, for warmth and love. About that Ino and Sakura hadn't been wrong.

He could feel Chouji's heart racing to match his own, and stopped thinking. His mind focused on the warmth of the body pressed against his, the sweetness of the other boy's slightly chapped lips, the softness of the hair beneath his fingers. Somehow he knew that no matter what happened later on, he'd never forget the texture of those smooth strands caught between his fingers. Chouji's arms wrapped around his waist, not forcing him to stay but just resting there, and when Shikamaru finally pulled away, they moved with him, so those larger hands rested on the Nara boy's sides.

Cheeks warm with blush and passion, the dark haired boy brought a hand to his lips, finding them tender and slightly swollen. His friend's chest heaved as if he'd just run a race, and his eyes were wide on Shikamaru's, cheeks likewise darkened. A little rill of blood ran from the corner of Chouji's mouth, and on instinct Shikamaru leaned forward and kissed it away. There was a strange current running between them, a strong one that threatened to pull them into senselessness.

Sensing that and knowing that, for a while, discretion would have to be a large part of their relationship, Shikamaru stopped the kiss before it could reach that former intensity, laying his head against Chouji's shoulder with a soft sigh. The larger boy smiled faintly, content to hold the other boy just so, running slightly trembling fingers through the hair at the nape of the other's neck. They felt safe here, in this place they'd shared since their youth, and they relaxed against each other.

"Holy!"

And then the peace was over. That familiar, strident voice pulled both of them out of any calm they'd had, and (though neither was quite willing to leave that warm embrace) both stiffened in shock.

"…The fuck?"

And of course, Naruto wasn't alone. What he was doing up here with Kiba of all people, Shikamaru wasn't yet sure. Slowly, he disentangled himself from the embrace and turned to face the intruders. Both stood there in slight shock, the blonde's mouth gapping. Shikamaru cursed silently. If it had been Naruto alone they could have lied their way out. But Kiba was no where near as naïve as Naruto, and the slow smirk spreading over his lips told the Nara child that there would be no lying.

Kiba was, for once, without the small white dog, and his hood was down. He spread his hands slightly, a gesture that neither Shikamaru nor Chouji knew how to interpret. "Sorry." The canine-boy laughed. "We'll leave you two alone."

Naruto's brow furrowed. "B-but what're they doing?"

"Nothing!" Chouji choked out, and Shikamaru glanced at his companion.

Kiba chuckled and leaned toward the blonde, whispering softly in his ear. That expressive face first paled and then reddened, blue eyes opening impossibly wide. He shook his head and Kiba raised his pinky, muttering.

"Nan de?!"

The Inuzuka boy only smiled further, whispering something else that made Naruto blush again. The blue-eyed boy looked at the couple still sitting so close together on the rooftop, staring as if some puzzle had just been solved for him.

Finally Shikamaru stood up, placing his hands on his hips. He opened his mouth to say something, anything to make them go away, and Kiba held his own hands up in a pacifying gesture.

"Don't worry about it." He said coolly, smiling in a knowing way that Shikamaru wasn't sure he liked. "We'll go."

"If you tell-"

The brown haired boy shook his head. "We'll be quiet."

Naruto stared between Shikamaru and Kiba, as confused as ever. Shikamaru just thanked whatever god was listening that he wasn't making that troublesome face that spoke of some sort of scheme.

Chouji moved to stand just behind his friend, his face troubled. "Why…?" He ventured, wondering if Kiba was just being nice or if they were going to owe him later. All he was certain of at this point was that he wasn't ready for their relationship to be made public, and Naruto had a very large mouth.

"Because." Kiba shrugged, still smiling. He seemed to consider for a moment, and then he took hold of Naruto's wrist, pulling the shorted blonde toward him and crushing their lips together. The loud-mouthed boy struggled only for a second before seeming to melt against his companion in a way that advertised familiarity with that sort of action.

For the second time that day, Shikamaru found his eyes staring widely, this time at the very unlikely couple instead of at Chouji. He pulled his eyes away and coughed indiscreetly, uncomfortable. The pair broke apart, Kiba's grin wider than ever. Neither pair said a word, the sort of bargain not needing to be vocalized, and Naruto grabbed at his companion's wrist, pulling him away with an eager sort of urgency that made Shikamaru vaguely nervous. The Inuzuka boy raised a hand in farewell, and Shikamaru and Chouji returned it dully.

Alone again, they turned toward each other, and after a second, broke out laughing. It was nervous laughter at first, but it quickly became more natural and they collapsed against each other, relieved. Even as they laughed though, Shikamaru knew that something would have to change. It was just too troublesome to risk being together in such an open place.

By this time the sun was on the west, fading into the hues of sunset, and each knew they had to part. But for a while at least they sat back down, risking closeness and fighting the urge to kiss again, watching the sky in a companionable silence that suited them fine after the loud disruption with Naruto and Kiba. When Chouji's hand slid over his, Shikamaru didn't withdraw from it… there were some risks worth taking, after all.

He sighed and his head lolled back on his shoulders. He could only trust that Kiba could control Naruto's mouth… he wondered how long those two had been seeing each other. They certainly had gotten closer during their mission to retrieve Sasuke, but he'd never imagined they'd make a couple. Not with Naruto as hung up on Sakura as he was.

Chouji's hand tightened on his own, and he smiled. His thoughts turned to more pleasant things, and for a short while he took the risk and leaned his head on Chouji's shoulder, just enjoying the closeness. After today, they'd have to figure out some other place to be together, somewhere more private. For now, however, he'd take the chance of being caught and just let himself be comfortable,

(A.N.: Crappy ending, I know, but there will be more. I already have half of the next chapter done, so I hope to keep it up. Sorry this took to long, and I hope I haven't disappointed anyone.)


End file.
